Better With Two: 42
by outcastfromgallifrey
Summary: "A series of episodes from series 3 and 4 rewritten as if they had taken place during series 2." - Episode 4 of 6: Takes place after 'Love & Monsters' - After receiving a distress call, the Doctor and Rose find themselves stranded on a cargo ship hurtling toward a sun, with only 42 minutes to live.
1. Forty-two Minutes

Rose stepped out of the corridor and into the main console room. The Doctor was already there, flipping switches and pressing buttons on TARDIS. The ship hummed and whirred in response, its gears grinding loudly. Grinning broadly, Rose skipped up the incline and ran over him.

"Hello!" he smiled, turning to face her. Rose responded to him by wrapping her arms around his middle and giving him a squeeze. He chuckled softly at her.

"So," Rose pulled back. "What are we doing today?"

"Well—" the Doctor broke off as the TARDIS lurched to one side. A loud beeping sound was heard echoing through the room. Rose gripped the main console, trying to stabilize her balance.

"Distress signal!" the Doctor called as he spun the computer monitor to him. Red words in Gallifreyan flashed at him, in tune to the beeping.

"Locking on!" he yelled using his foot to push down a lever. "Might be a bit of—"

The TARDIS gave a tremendous jolt throwing Rose and the Doctor to the floor. Rose let out a yelp in surprise. Cautiously she pushed herself up on her knees, so that she could peer over the main console at the Doctor.

"—Turbulence," the Doctor finished. "Sorry."

Rose rolled her eyes and stood up. Brushing herself off, she glanced over at her friend. The Doctor was already halfway to the TARDIS doors.

"Come on, Rose!" he said opening the doors. "Let's take a look!"

Rose ran over to him as he stepped out. Instantly, a wave of heat rushed over them. Rose's eyes watered and she coughed as smoke and steam billowed up around them.

"Whoa!" the Doctor walked around. "Now that is hot!"

Rose gazed around at the room they had just walked in. Red light glowed around from the many machines that stood there. Wires dangled down from the ceiling and a loud buzzing noise could be heard. It looked like they were in the boiler room of some spaceship, the machines working furiously and puffing out steam.

"Whuff," Rose huffed glad that her hair was pulled back. "It's like a sauna in here!"

_"__Automated distress signal transmitted," _a computer voice sounded overhead. Rose looked around and wiped her forehead.

"Venting systems," the Doctor bent down to look at one of the machines. "Working at full pelt, trying to cool down."

Rose shrugged off her jacket and set in down on one of the machines. She adjusted the straps of her tank top as the Doctor looked around.

"Well," he frowned at the room. "Wherever it is we are."

He looked about the room and squinted his eyes against the steam. He could just barely see a large iron door in the red glow. The Doctor walked over and pulled the divider, grunting as he forced it open.

"Well, if you can't stand the heat," he began as they walked out into a corridor attached to the ventilation room. "Well, that's better."

The moment Rose stepped out of the vault, the loud sound of running feet met their ears. Rose spun around to see three very sweaty people running towards them.

"Oi! You two!" One of them yelled as he jumped over another door portal.

"Get out of there!" Another person, a woman, screamed.

"Seal that door!" the last person said to the other man. "Now!"

Rose jumped out of the way as the fist man ran past her to close the vault the Doctor and her and just stepped out of. The Doctor had an inquiring look on his face as he took the three people in. The woman had brown shoulder length hair caked with grease and oil, much like her two other companions, and big questioning eyes. All three of them were breathing heavily and covered with grime and sweat.

"Who are you?" the woman snapped at them. "What are you doing on my ship?"

"Are you police?" the younger of the two men asked stepping away from the now sealed door.

"Why would we be police?" the Doctor furrowed his brow.

"We got your distress signal," Rose said.

"If this is a ship," the Doctor looked to the woman. "Why can't I hear any engines?"

"It went dead four minutes ago," she huffed as she regained her breath.

"So maybe we should stop chatting and get to Engineering," the other man growled glaring at the woman. "Captain_._"

A loud alarm sounded and the five people looked up as the computer voice spoke, _"Secure closer active."_

"What?" the now determined Captain glanced at one of the men.

"The ship's gone mad," the man murmured. Rose looked behind the Captain to the long corridor. A young woman was running their way with a box of tools in her hands, evading the doors sliding down behind her.

"Who activated secure closure!" she called when she reached them. "I nearly got locked into area twenty-seven!"

The last bulkhead slammed down behind her.

"Who are you?" the woman asked noticing Rose and the Doctor. The Time Lord opened his mouth to answer but Rose beat him to it.

"He's the Doctor and I'm Rose," she said looking past the woman to a small porthole on the ship. "Hello."

The Doctor's eyes followed her as the computer came through the intercom again, _"Impact projection forty-two minutes twenty-seven seconds."_

"We'll get out of this," the captain nodded to her crew. "I promise."

"Doctor," Rose whispered staring out the window. Her breathing had sped up and she felt her heart pound in her chest.

"Forty-two minutes until what?"The Doctor narrowed his eyes at the captain.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled staring out the porthole. "Look!"

The Doctor ran over to his companion and stood behind her. His eyes widened as he gazed out the window to the direction the ship was heading. A great yellow star burned up at them, its surface covered with flames curling toward the ship. The Captain glanced at them sorrowfully. Her voice quavered as she spoke, "forty-two minutes until we crash into the sun."

"How many crew members on board?" the Doctor jumped away from the porthole and ran over to the captain. Rose watched him, trying to slow down her breathing.

"Seven, including us," she said.

"We transport cargo across the galaxy," one of the men spoke up. "Everything's automated; we just keep the ship space-worthy."

"Call the others!" the Doctor ran over to the ventilation room's door. "I'll get you out!"

"What's he doing?!" the younger man gasped as the Doctor struggled to open the portal.

"Doctor, don't!" the captain roared at him. But it was too late; the Doctor had already unlocked it and pulled it open. Searing heat spat out at them, knocking the Doctor to the floor with a yell. In a flash, Rose was at his side, kneeling down and seeing if he was injured. The young woman from before pulled a welding mask from her box over her face and ran over to the vault, forcing the door shut.

"But my ship's in there!" the Doctor yelled.

"In the vent chamber?" the younger man croaked in disbelief. The whole crew gazed at the Doctor like he was mad. The Doctor pulled himself to his feet, his teeth gritted angrily.

"It's our life boat!"he said.

"It's lava," one of the men retorted.

"The temperature's going mad in there," the young woman huffed pulling off her mask to look at the thermostat. "Up three thousand degrees in ten seconds and still rising."

"Channeling the air," the younger man put in. "The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's gonna get."

"We're stuck here," Rose looked fearfully at the Doctor. The Time Lord was breathing heavily now and looking around at the crew.

"So, we fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the sun!" he nodded. "Simple! Engineering down here, is it?"

The Doctor ran down an empty corridor to the side, not bothering to see if anyone answered. Rose went after him, casting a quick glance at the Captain.

"Yes," the Captain said with a quick nod. The rest of the crew followed them down quickly.

_"__Impact in forty twenty-six," _the computers voice called out.

**-DW-**

After a quite a lot of running, the six persons reached the engine room. The Doctor didn't bother with the stairs, and jumped down to the floor, catching his breath.

"Blimey," he said to no one in particular. "Do you always leave things in such a mess?"

"Oh my god," the Captain gasped.

"What the hell happened?" her crew member said. The engine of the ship lay before them in bits and pieces, wires thrown over it and sparks flying out. It looked as if someone toddler had gotten his hands on it and had preceded to rip it apart.

"Well, it's wrecked," the other man stated gesturing to the machine.

"Pretty efficiently too," the Doctor bent over engine to examine it. "Someone knew what they were doing."

"Where's Korwin?" the Captain said glancing around. "Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?"

"No," one of the men said. The Doctor moved over to the engine's computer and looked over it. Rose came up beside him.

"Do you mean someone did this on purpose?" She asked fearfully. The Doctor's eyes flicked over to her and then quickly darted back to the machine. The Captain went over to an intercom and turned it on.

"Korwin, Ashton? Where are you?" she spoke into it. "Korwin, can you answer? Where the hell is he? He should be up here."

The Doctor pulled out his brainy-specs as numbers came on the screen. His eyes scanned the computer, getting all the information he could about this ship.

"Oh, we're in the Torajii system! Lovely!" he said gleefully. "You're a long way from home, Rose. Half a universe away."

"Yeah, feels it," Rose tried to match his happy tone.

"And you're still using energy scoops for fusion," the Doctor walked over to the captain. "Hasn't that been outlawed yet?"

"We're due to upgrade next docking," the Captain said quickly, walking away from the Doctor and back to the engine. "Scannell, engine report."

One of the men walked over to the engine computer and began tapping it.

"No response," he sniffed after pressing a few buttons.

"What?" the captain said in disbelief. Rose moved closer to the Doctor, her arm brushing his briefly. Frowning slightly, he looked down at her with concern. He could see she was scared. Her eyes were haunted and her body was shaking ever so slightly. The Doctor racked his brain for something to say that would comfort her; to tell her everything would be alright.

"They're burnt out," Scannell's voice broke through the Doctor's thoughts. "Control's are wrecked, I can't get them back online."

Oh, come on!" The Doctor pulled off his specs. "Auxiliary engines! Every crafts' got auxiliaries!"

"We don't have access from here," the captain said. "The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship."

"Yeah, with twenty-nine password sealed doors between us and them," Scannell sneered. "You'll never get there in time."

"Can't you override the doors?" Rose piped up.

"No, sealed closer means what it says," Scannell turned and glared at her. "They're all dead-lock sealed."

"So a sonic screwdriver's no use," the Doctor muttered.

"Nothing's any use," the man said angrily. "We've got no engines, no time, and no chance."

"Oh, listen to you!" said the Doctor. "Defeated before you've even started! Where's your Dunkirk spirit? Who's got the door passwords?"

The Time Lord turned back to the Captain.

"They're randomly generated," the other crew member spoke up. "Reckon I'd know most of them. Sorry, Riley Vashti."

The man gestured to himself with a cocky smile.

"Then what are you waiting for, Riley Vashti?" the Doctor nodded to him. "Get on it."

"Well it's a two person job," Riley turned behind him to unhook two large contraptions from the wall. "One'll take this for the questions, the other to carry this."

Riley pulled what looked to be a square backpack over his shoulder with one hand, and showed the Doctor a large magnetic clam in the other.

"The oldest and cheapest security system around," he huffed. "Eh, Captain?"

"Reliable and simple," she said coolly. "Just like you, eh, Riley?"

"Try to be helpful, get abuse," Riley grunted. "Nice."

"I'll help you," Rose left the Doctor's side and took the clamp from Riley's hands. "Make myself useful."

"It's remotely controlled by the computer panel, that's why it needs two," Riley adjusted the machine on his back and started down the engine room with Rose slowly following.

"Oi," the Doctor called out, reaching forward to catch her on the arm. Rose turned back to him with a questioning look.

"Be careful," he said, pulling her in for a quick hug.

"You too," Rose smiled when he released her. The Doctor's gaze followed her as she and Riley ran out the door.

"McDonnell! It's Ashton," a voice came in through the intercom, forcing the Doctor to turn away from the spot where Rose had been.

"Where are you?" the captain ran over to the intercom. "Is Korwin with you?"

"Get up to the med-centre now!" Ashton's voice barked. Without a moment's hesitation, Captain McDonnell ran past the Doctor and out the doorway. The Doctor followed, leaving Scannell and the other crew member in the engine room.

They passed by Rose and Riley in the corridor, earning them a few confused glances. McDonnell rushed by and ran up the steel stairwell with the Doctor at her heels. The computer's voice came over the speakers once more, stating out their impending doom:

_"__Impact in thirty-four thirty-one." _


	2. Infected

"Argh! Stop it!" the Doctor heard a man screaming from up ahead. He and McDonnell were running through the corridors of the ship. McDonnell was sprinting at full speed, not even caring to see if the Doctor was following her. The Doctor didn't even think she knew that he was running after her.

"Korwin! It's Abi!" another voice yelled. "Open your eyes! I need to take a look at you!"

"Korwin!" McDonnell cried as she and the Doctor entered the med-centre. "What's happened? Is he okay?"

The Doctor pushed past her to stand beside the struggling man on the medical slab. Korwin continued yelling, fighting against the man and woman holding him down.

"Oh God! Help me!" he shouted. "It's burning me!"

"How long's he been like this?" the Doctor asked, helping to hold Korwin down.

"Ashton just brought him in," the woman called Abi grunted pushing Korwin down on the board. The Doctor pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and began scanning the man.

"What are you doing?" McDonnell choked out.

"Don't get too close," the Doctor grunted as the sonic whirred.

"Don't be so stupid!" she pushed past Ashton to stand closer to Korwin. "He's my husband!"

"And he's just sabotaged our ship!" Ashton snapped forcing Korwin back down.

"What?" McDonnell whipped her head around to face him.

"He went mad," Ashton said. "He put the ship onto secure closure, then he set the heat pulse to melt the controls."

"No way," McDonnell argued. "He wouldn't do that!"

"I saw it happen, Captain."

"Korwin?" the Doctor spoke up. "Korwin, open your eyes for me a second."

"I can't!" Korwin shook his head keeping his eyes firmly closed.

"Yeah, 'course you can," the Doctor said. "Go on."

"Don't make me look at you!" Korwin cried. "Please!"

"Alright, alright! Just relax," the Doctor looked around to the medical table behind him and grabbed an injection gun. "Sedative?"

"Yes," Abi nodded. Korwin gave a final yell as the Doctor sedated him. His body went limb and the four crew members released their hold on him. The Doctor placed the sedative back on the table and crossed his arms, staring intently at Korwin.

"What's wrong with him?" McDonnell looked to the Doctor.

"Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings," the Doctor sniffed. "Stasis chamber! I do love a good stasis chamber."

The Doctor pointed the machine behind Korwin.

"Keep him sedated in there," he nodded. "Regulate the body temperature."

Abi turned away and began tapping out commands for the machine.

"And, just for fun," the Doctor furrowed his brow at Korwin. "Run a bioscan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail."

"Just doing them now," Abi turned her head to look the Doctor up and down.

"Oh, you're good," the Doctor raised his brows. "Anyone else presenting these symptoms?"

"Not so far," Abi frowned at him.

"Well, that's something."

"Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?" McDonnell's voice broke.

"Some sort of infection. We'll know more after the test results," the Doctor turned to face her. "Now, allons-y! Back down stairs! Eh? See about those engines. Go."

Ashton nodded and left the room, casting a glance at the Captain as he did. McDonnell ignored the Doctor and continued to look down at her husband, gently caressing his face.

"Hey," the Doctor said loudly and McDonnell looked at him. "Go."

With one last glance at Korwin, McDonnell turned and followed Ashton out the room. The Doctor turned to Abi.

"Call us if there's news," he called as he made his way to the metal door. "Any questions?"

"Uh, yeah," Abi's voice stopped him. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor!" he stated leaning in the doorway briefly. And with that, he ducked out and ran down the corridor, leaving a very confused Abi alone. The woman gave her head a shake and went over to screens monitoring the stasis chamber. But unbeknownst to her, Korwin was starting to stir.

**-DW-**

A few minutes after they had reached the engine room, the Doctor ran up to the intercom and pressed the button connecting to the med-centre.

"Abi, how's Korwin doing?" he asked. "Any results from the bioscan?"

"He's under heavy sedation," Abi's voice came through. "I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let you know."

In the stasis chamber, Korwin's hand fell from his chest and onto the slab, twitching slightly as his body began to wake.

* * *

**A/N:** _Sorry this chapter's so short! The next ones are much longer._


	3. Pop Quiz

_"__Heat shields failing," _the computer voice reached Rose's ears. _"At twenty-five percent. Impact in thirty-two fifty."_

Rose turned to look at Riley. The man was typing various codes into the lock machine looking at the screen intently. Rose was holding the magnetic clamp waiting for Riley's signal to attach it to the bulkhead. Currently they were still at Area 29, just a floor down from the med-centre.

"Hurry up, will you?" Rose groaned adjusting the clamp in her hands.

"Alright," Riley nodded. "Fix the clamp on!"

Rose pushed the clamp against the bulkhead with a grunt and it locked in place. Riley went back to the lock machine and began typing in various words again.

"What are you typing?" Rose asked him, craning her neck over her shoulder to look at him properly.

"Each door's trip code is the answer to a random question set by the crew," Riley said. "Nine tours back, we got drunk, thought 'em up! Reckoning was, if we're hijacked, we're the only ones who know all the answers."

"So you type in the right answer," Rose tried to grasp what he was saying.

"This," Riley patted the box screen in front of him. "sends and unlock pulse to the clamp. But we only get one chance per door. Get it wrong, the whole system freezes."

"Better not get it wrong then," Rose smirked.

"Okay!" Riley smiled as the first question appeared on the screen. "_Date of SS Pentallian's first flight?" _He read the question to Rose. He smiled and typed a word into the box. "That's alright! Go!"

Riley pointed to Rose just as the clamp let out a beep. A green light flashed on the machine and the door opened before her.

"Yes!" Rose looked back and smiled at Riley.

"Twenty-eight more to go!" Riley grinned and laughing happily as the two ran down the corridor.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"Rose, Riley? How're you doing?" the Doctor's voice came through the speakers.

"Area 29 at the door 28," Rose called as she ran over to the bulkhead. Both she and Riley were panting hard from running, sweat dripping down from their foreheads.

"Yeah, you've got to move faster!" the Doctor said.

"We're doing our best!" Rose said rather annoyed. The lock machine chirped behind her and Riley read the next question.

"_Find the next number in the sequence: 313, 331, 367, …?" _Riley furrowed he brow and looked at Rose. "What?"

"You said the crew knew all the answers," Rose reminded him.

"The crew's changed since we've set the questions," Riley muttered.

"You're joking."

"379!" the Doctor's voice yelled through the intercom.

"What?" Rose asked.

"It's a sequence of happy primes, 379!"

"Happy what?" Rose shot a confused look to Riley. The man shrugged back.

"Just enter it!" the Doctor called.

"Are you sure?" Riley looked to speaker on the ceiling. "We only get one chance."

"Any number that reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits and you continue iterating until it yields one is a happy number. Any number that doesn't isn't. A happy prime is a number that is both happy and prime," the Doctor ranted. "Now type it in! I don't know, talk about dumbing down! Don't they teach recreational mathematics anymore?"

Riley blinked and stood still for a moment. Then, with a shake, he jumped back over to the question machine and typed in the number. Rose felt the clamp give way and portal 28 opened.

"We're through!" she called to the Doctor.

"Keep moving, fast as you can," the Doctor said. "And Rose, be careful. There may be something else aboard this ship."

"Anytime you want to unnerve me, feel free," Rose muttered sarcastically.

"Will do, thanks," the Doctor said in a cheery tone.

_"__Impact in thirty fifty," _the computer droned.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"I can't believe our lives depend on some stupid pub quiz," Rose sighed when they reached Area 27. "Is that the next one?"

Another question had appeared on the screen. Rose stared in disbelief as she read it.

"Oh this is a nightmare," Riley breathed. "_Classical Music: Who had more pre-download Number Ones, Elvis Pre-sley or the Be-atles?"_

Riley turned to Rose with a shocked expression and shook his head.

"How are we supposed to know that?"

Rose turned and gave him a knowing smile. Reaching forward she turned the intercom on, and the Doctor's voice came through.

"We need a backup in case they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time," he was saying. "Come on, think! Resources! What have we got?"

"Doctor?" Rose interrupted his conversation with the crew.

"What is it now?" he said with an irritated tone.

"Who had the most Number Ones, Elvis or the Beatles?" Rose read him the question. "That's pre-download."

"Elvis," he said first. "No! The Beatles! No, wait! Um, um, oh, what was that remix? Er, I don't know! I am a bit busy!"

"Fine," Rose said. "I'll ask someone else."

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"Now, where was I?" the Doctor said back in the engine room. "'_Here comes the sun_.' No, resources! So, the power's still working, the generator's going. If we can harness that, ah!"

"Use the generator to jumpstart the ship," McDonnell's nodded.

"Exactly!" the Doctor grinned. "At the very least, it'll buy us some more time."

"That," the Captain raised her brows at him, "is brilliant,"

"I know, see?" the Doctor looked to Scannell and the mechanic that had now been introduced as Erina. "Tiny glimmer of hope."

"If it works," Scannell said.

"Oh, believe me," McDonnell turned to the pessimist. "You're gonna make it work."

Scannell scowled at them and turned away. Ashton let out a snort of laughter and the Doctor ginned.

"That told him!" the Doctor smiled.

_"__Impact in twenty-nine forty-six."_

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

Rose paced the corridor with her phone in hand, waiting for Jackie to pick up. Riley watched her dubiously, not thinking she could reach anybody out here in deep space.

"Hello?" Jackie's voice called out.

"Mum, it's me! It's Rose!"

"Rose! Oh, my sweet girl!" Jackie squealed. "Where are you? It's been like three months since you last called! Don't you even think about filling your own mother in on your travels with that man? How's the Doctor anyway? Is he there? Hello, Doctor! Are you taking care of my daughter? When are you—?"

"Mum, he's not here right now," Rose cut her off. "Actually, a bit busy. Need you to do something for me."

"What?" Jackie shouted. "Three months and not a word, and all you called me up for is for me to do you a favor? I don't think so, young lady! Now, you tell me what you two are up to. Be quick about it!"

"Mum, please, not now!" Rose said exasperatedly. "I need you to look something up on the internet."

"Do it yourself," Jackie snapped. "You've got a computer on the TARDIS."

"Oh, just do it, will you?!" Rose shouted, hearing her voice echo in the corridor. Turning slowly, she saw Riley staring at her with raised brows. She gave a small smile and turned away, her cheeks getting red.

"Please," Rose said into the phone.

"When did you get so rude?" Jackie said. "I'll tell you when. Ever since you met that man!"

Rose rolled her eyes at Riley. He smiled and rubbed the sweat from his brow.

"I need to know who had more Number Ones," Rose nodded. "The Beatles or Elvis?"

"Hang on, the mouse is unplugged," Jackie muttered. Rose leaned her head back and let out a groan, pacing back and forth impatiently.

"Okay, I'm on it," Jackie said. "What is this, a pop quiz?"

"Yeah," Rose said quickly. "A pop quiz!"

"Using your mobile is cheating," Jackie scolded.

"Have you found it?"

"There's over four-hundred thousand results," Jackie said. "Give me a minute!"

Rose looked up at the metal ceiling angrily. She flinched as the computer came over the intercom again.

_"__Impact in twenty-eight fifty."_


	4. Burn With Me

"Doctor, these readings are starting to scare me," Abi's voice came through the intercom in engineering. The Doctor stopped fiddling with some wires and looked up with a furrowed brow.

"What do you mean?" he called out.

"Well, Korwin's body's changing," she replied. "His whole biological makeup! It's impossible!"

McDonnell jumped up from where she knelling down beside the engine, fear in her eyes. The Doctor stood still, waiting for Abi to speak.

"This is med-centre!" Abi's panicking tone spoke. "Urgent assistance requested! Urgent assistance!"

"Stay here!" the Doctor yelled running out the door. "Keep working!"

Much to his dismay, McDonnell ran after him.

"Urgent assistance!" Abi's voice was quavering.

"Abi, they're on their way," the Doctor heard Erina saying.

As the Doctor and McDonnell tore down the halls, they continued to hear Abi's scared voice over the speakers.

"What's happening to you?" she was saying.

"Burn with me," another voice called out. _"Burn-with-me."_

From Area 27, Rose and Riley looked up at the speakers, filled with fear on what they had just heard. The Doctor continued running, but skidded to a halt when he heard a voice call out behind him and McDonnell.

"Captain!" Scannell came running up.

"I told you to stay in Engineering!" the Doctor said.

"I only take orders from one person around here," Scannell scowled pushing past him.

"Oh, is he always this cheery?" the Doctor said in a sarcastic tone.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"Elvis," Jackie told Rose through the phone.

"What?" Rose nodded to Riley. "Really, Elvis!"

Riley ran over to the lock machine and began typing in the name. Rose looked up to the speaker as she heard two voices speaking.

"_Burn-with-me," _what sounded like a man's voice growled.

"Korwin, you're sick!" a woman said breathlessly.

_"__BURN-WITH-ME."_

Door 26 opened with a loud beep and Riley and Rose ran though, only pausing to grab the machine and clamp.

"Mum, you're a star!" Rose told Jackie.

"Of course I am," Jackie said. "Now, we need to have a serious—"

She broke off as a horrible scream came over the speakers, echoing off the metal walls. Rose stopped in her tracks, her heart thudding in her chest.

"What was that?" Jackie yelled.

"I've got to go," Rose whispered and ended the call. She and Riley exchanged nervous glances. Running back over to the intercom, Rose flipped it on.

"Doctor, what were those screams?" She said shakily.

"Concentrate on those doors!" he yelled. "You've got to keep moving forward"

Rose grabbed the magnetic clamp and attached it against the bulkhead. Riley stood by the lock machine waiting for the next question to pop up.

_"__Impact in twenty seven o' six," _the computer counted down.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

Scannell, McDonnell, and the Doctor ran into the med-centre. They all looked around franticly for Abi and Korwin, but surprisingly, the room was empty. The stasis chamber lay bare, the slab pulled out with no sign of the Captain's spouse.

"Korwin's gone," McDonnell murmured.

"Oh my god," Scannell whispered and the Doctor turned to see where he was looking. The image of a figure was burnt onto the metal frame of an X-ray machine. The Doctor moved forward toward the silhouette, staring at it carefully.

"Tell me that's not Lerner," Scannell said softly.

"Endothermic vaporization," the Doctor murmured tracing the outline of Abi Lerner. "I've never seen one this ferocious. _'Burn with me._'"

"That's what we heard Korwin say," Scannell turned to McDonnell.

"What?" her voice broke. "You think—? No way, Scannell tell him! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporize people! He's human!"

The Doctor moved over to the medical table and picked up the test results. Raising them to the light, he peered at transparencies intently.

"His bioscan results," the Doctor said. "Internal temperature, one hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen. Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed."

"The test results are wrong!" McDonnell ripped the scans out of the Doctor's hands angrily.

"What is it though?" the Doctor straightened up. "Parasite? Mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body, but how did it get inside him?"

"Stop talking like he's some kind of experiment!" McDonnell cried.

"Where has the ship been? Have you made planet-fall recently?" the Doctor stared at McDonnell, and she shook her head. "Docked with any other vessels? Any sort of external contact at all?"

"What is this, an interrogation?" McDonnell snapped.

"We've got to stop him before he kills again."

"We're just," the captain took a breath. "A cargo ship."

McDonnell turned away and rubbed her face, keeping back her tears. Scannell glared at the Doctor with a sneer.

"Doctor, if you give her a minute," he muttered going to stand beside her.

"I'm fine," McDonnell breathed. "I need to warn the crew."

The captain went over to the intercom as the Doctor inspected Korwin's lab results. Taking a shaky breath, she alerted her crew of the danger.

"Everybody listen to me," she said. "Something has infected Korwin. We think… He killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him. Is that clear?"

"Understood, Captain," Ashton's voice responded.

_"__Impact in twenty-four fifty-one."_

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

The Doctor examined Korwin's bioscan results carefully, holding them up to the light for a better look. The whole ship was heating up, getting warmer and warmer as it neared the sun.

"Is the infection permanent?" McDonnell asked from where she sat on a small stool. "Can you cure him?"

"I don't know," the Doctor lied looking down at her.

"Don't lie to me, Doctor," McDonnell saw right through him. "Eleven years we've been married. Chose this ship together. He keeps me honest, so I don't want false hope."

"The parasite's too aggressive," the Doctor muttered. "You're husband's gone. There's no way back. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," McDonnell's voice was not above a whisper. She lowered her head sadly and the Doctor looked away.

"Are you certain nothing happened to provoke this?" he asked. "Nobody's working on anything secret? 'Cause it's vital that you tell me."

"I know every inch of this ship," the captain said. "I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is _nothing_."

"Then why is this thing so interested in you," the Doctor narrowed his eyes. McDonnell looked away and shook her head softly.

"I wish I knew," she whispered.


	5. Locked Out and Drifting Away

**A/N: Two updates today! Reason being cos there won't be one tomorrow. Also I'm linking all the new chapters here to my tumblr so they're both on the same posting pace! Finishing up this episode! Only 3 more chapters!**

* * *

Rose and Riley were running down Area 17, having cleared the other doors with no delay. Rose's arms were sore from carrying the clamp and sweat was dripping down her forehead. The corridors seemed to be getting hotter as they went in the direction of the auxiliary engines.

"Doctor," Rose called. "We're through to Area 17."

"Keep going!" the Doctor's voice said. "You've got to get to Area 1 and reboot those engines."

_"__Heat shields failing," _the computer told them. _"At twenty percent." _

"Come on!" Riley hit the portable computer. "Everything on this is so cheap!"

Rose went over to stand beside him. A loud bang sounded behind them in Area 18. Rose whipped her head around to peer through the steam.

"Whose there?" Riley called out. There was no answer. Riley slowly moved toward the door and soon a figure appeared through the smoke. It was a man, tall and thin, wearing a large helmet with a Polaroid filter over his face.

"Is that Korwin?" Rose whispered.

"No, wait a minute," Riley said squinting through the steam. The figure stepped through the door slowly and faced them.

"Oh, Ashton," Riley sighed. "What are you doing?"

"Burn-with-me," Ashton's voice sounded distorted.

"Well if you wanna help—"

_"__Burn-with-me," _Ashton repeated. _"BURN-WITH-ME."_

Ashton raised a glove hand to his helmet, preparing to lift the visor.

"Move!" Rose yelled realizing what had happened to Ashton. Looking around quickly, she pressed a button on a wall opening a side door.

"Come on!" She and Riley ran into the room, desperate to get away from the infected man. Rose went over to the other keypad in the room and closed the door. Riley sighed in relief thinking the danger was over.

Footsteps thudded in the hall and soon Ashton's shielded face appeared in the door window. Raising a fist, he began banging on the door. Riley started pressing buttons on the keypad and an escape pod opened beside them. The two clambered in and Riley slammed the door, both of them wanting to get the most distance as possible from Ashton. Rose saw Ashton's head turn, and a glass wall slid across the entrance to the escape pod.

"What is happening on this ship?" Riley said.

"Never mind that," Rose's breath quickened. "Where are we?"

_"__Airlock sealed," _the computer voice said. _"Jettison escape pod."_

"That doesn't mean us?" Rose looked at Riley who had begun plugging in override controls on the pods keyboard.

"Doctor!" she screamed pounding on the glass. Riley moved over a bit to allow Rose to use the intercom.

"Doctor!" she called through. "We're stuck in an escape pod off the Area 17 airlock! One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've got to help us!"

Rose backed away, breathing heavily and stared out the escape pod door.

"Tell me you can stop it," she said to the man beside her. Riley said nothing but entered in the codes faster.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"Why is this happening?" McDonnell said after hearing Rose and Riley's distress call.

"Stay here!" the Doctor shouted. "I mean it this time! Jump start those engines!"

The Doctor jumped over the door portal for Area 30 and ran down the corridors at top speed. Scannell watched him race to his friend's aid as McDonnell looked around the room.

"It's picking us off," McDonnell whispered as her gaze fell upon the charred shape of Erina against the wall. "One by one."

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

_"__Jettison held," _the computer stated and Riley sighed in relief. The escape pod stopped shaking and he rested his head against his arm.

"Thank you," he sighed. Rose eyes widened as she saw Ashton type more sequences into the keyboard outside.

_"__Jettison reactivated," _the computer said. Rose let out a scream and looked desperately at Riley. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

"Come on," Riley muttered. Both he and Ashton were engaged in a battle of the keyboards. Farther down the corridors, the Doctor was running as fast as he could to reach Rose. His only thought was ensuring her safety.

"Tsilpinski sequence," Riley said to himself. "This'll get him."

_"__Jettison held. Escape pod stabilized."_

Riley regained his breath and turned to Rose with a smile. Rose grinned back and patted him on the shoulder.

"You're pretty good," she said. Riley gave a nod and let out a relieved sigh as Rose leaned back and rested her head against the pod's wall. She watched as Riley began typing in more codes to ensure the pod held. From across the room, Ashton was furiously trying to break through the sequence.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

The Doctor tore down the halls, desperate to reach Rose and Riley. Sparks and steam flew up around him as the ship hurtled closer to the sun.

"That's enough!" the Doctor yelled, jumping through the wall of steam blocking the entrance to Area 17. He stood there catching he breath as the used-to-be Ashton slowly turned his covered head to him.

"What do you want?" the Doctor growled. "Why this ship? Tell me!"

With a roar, Ashton smashed his fist into the keyboard. Sparks flew from the computer and a light flickered on the screen.

_"__Jettison activated," _the computer's voice blared through the escape pod. Riley stopped punching in codes at stared in disbelief.

"He's crushed the circuit," he mumbled. "I cannot stop it. I can't stop it!"

Rose turned and looked out window and saw Ashton turn away from the door's porthole.

"Come on," the Doctor said back in Area 17. "Let's see you."

Ashton walked up and stood face to face with the Doctor. The Time Lord stared at the visor of the helmet, trying to figure out what had happened to this man and Korwin.

"I want to know what you really are," the Doctor murmured narrowing his eyes. Ashton lifted his hand up to the Polaroid filter. Just before he raised visor, Ashton doubled over in pain with an agonizing scream. It was if the thing inside him had left momentarily. The Doctor stared at him intently as he coughed and shook. And then it was all over. Standing erect, Ashton shouldered past the Doctor and down the corridor into the belly of the ship.

_"__Airlock sealed," _the computer called out. The Doctor watched Ashton go then jumped over to the intercom.

"McDonnell!" he said into the speaker. "Ashton's heading in your direction. He's been infected just like Korwin."

"Korwin's dead, Doctor," Scannell's voice came through.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

Rose banged on the glass of the escape pod. Riley was trying frantically to stop the computer, putting in every cheat code he knew into the keypad.

"Everything's locked!" Rose looked over to him fearfully.

_"__Airlock decompression completed," _the computer beeped out. _"Jettisoning pod."_

The Doctor raised his head from the intercom. Eyes widening, he ran over and looked out the door's porthole. Rose's face lit up when she saw him come into view and she began tapping on the glass.

"Doctor!" she called out breathlessly. The Doctor pressed his hands against the door and looked to her painfully.

"I'll save you!" he shouted, feeling his hearts thud in his chest. Rose's smile slowly faded from her facade and her hands shook against the glass.

"Rose," Riley murmured behind her. "It's too late."

"Doctor!" Rose called out desperately as the pod shook. The Doctor's face was mixed with determination and fear. Rose saw him mouth something to her over and over, like a promise.

"I'll save you!" the Doctor's voice strained as Rose shook her head from across the room. Pain welled up inside his chest as the escape pod slowly ejected from the ship's side.

"I can't hear you!" Rose cried. The Doctor mouthed the words to her once more pressing a hand against the glass. Rose felt tears welling up in her eyes and her hands slid down from the window. She didn't take her eyes off the Doctor as he continued to say his silent promise. The pod floated off in space, slowly descending toward the raging sun.

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered as a tear snaked down her cheek.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

_"__Impact in seventeen o' five," _the computer relayed above him. The Doctor felt his hearts give way as Rose disappeared from his sight into the glare of the sun. Blood pounding in his ears, he slammed his fist against door with a broken scream. Furiously, he ran over to the intercom.

"Scannell!" he shouted into it. "I need a spacesuit in Area 17! Now!"

"What for?" Scannell called out.

"Just get down here!" the Doctor bellowed into the intercom. Turning away, he gazed out the window once more to the small shape of the escape pod flying further away from the ship, and sending Rose further away from him.

"Hold on, Rose," he whispered. "_I'll save you._"


	6. It's Alive

"The wonderful world of space travel," Riley muttered. "Prettier it looks; the more likely it is to kill you."

Riley sat behind Rose gazing out the window as they drifted away from the ship. Rose was shaking softly and shook her head.

"He'll come for us," her voice quavered, but she refused to give up hope.

"No, it's too late," Riley said softly. "Our heat shield will pack in any minute, and then we go into free fall. We'll fall into the sun way before he has a chance to do anything."

"Well you don't know the Doctor," Rose murmured. "I believe in him."

"Then you're lucky," Riley said. "I've never found anyone worth believing in."

Rose slowly turned away from the window to look at him. Riley sat on the floor with his arms around his legs, glaring out at the deep space.

"No girlfriend?" Rose came and sat by him. "Boyfriend?"

"The job doesn't lend itself to stable relationships," Riley shook his head with a ghost of a smile.

"Family, then?"

"My dad's dead," Riley sighed. "And I haven't seen my mum in six years."

Riley turned to Rose.

"She didn't want me to sign up for cargo tours," he continued. "Things were said, and since then, all silent. She wanted to hold onto me, I know that. God, she's so stubborn."

"Yeah, well," Rose smiled. "That's families."

"What about you?"

"I lost my dad too," Rose nodded. "But I've got my mum. No silence from her. So much noise."

Rose raised her head to ceiling fighting back another round of tears.

"Oh, God," her voice broke. "She'll never know what happened to me. She'll just keep expecting me to come home one day. I-I'll just have disappeared. And she'll always be waiting."

"Call her," Riley whispered beside her.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"I can't let you do this," Scannell said beside the Doctor.

"You're wasting your breath, Scannell," the Doctor growled adjusting the gloves of his space suit. "You're not going to stop me."

"You want to open an airlock—in flight—on a ship spinning into the sun," Scannell pointed to the empty pod chamber. "No one can survive that."

"Oh, just you watch," the Doctor glared at him.

"You open that airlock, it's suicide," Scannell tried to talk him out of it. "This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."

"If I can boost the magneticlock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetise the pod," the Doctor said. "Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open! We need those auxiliary engines!"

"Doctor, will you listen!" Scannell's voice rose. "They're too far away! It's too late."

"I'm not going to lose her."

The Doctor looked directly at Scannell as he pulled the suit helmet over his head. He walked past the mechanic and stepped into the airlock. His thoughts drifted back to the last time he'd worn a space suit like this one. He had been dangling on the edge of a great pit, hundreds of kilometers beneath the planet's surface, and so far away from Rose. He had saved Rose from that black hole and death then, and now he could do it again.

_"__Decompression initiated," _the computer called. _"Impact in twelve fifty-five."_

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

"Hello?" Jackie's voice came through the mobile.

"It's me again," Rose whispered. "Sorry about earlier."

"I don't usually get two calls from you in a day," Jackie said. "Well, frankly I don't get any calls from you. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah," Rose tried to sound cheerful. "Course."

"Rose?"

"Mum," Rose stopped and took a deep breath. "You know I love you, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Jackie said. "What's brought this on?"

"I never say it," Rose sniffed. "Never get the time, or never think of it, and then… I really love you."

"Rose, what's wrong?" Jackie asked.

"Nothing," Rose looked back at Riley. "Promise."

"Where are you?"

"Just out."

"Are you with the Doctor?" Jackie said through the phone. "Is he treatin' you nice? He's not taken advantage of you, has he? I'll kill him."

"Mum," Rose sighed. "Please, can we not just talk?"

"Of course," Jackie said in a hushed tone. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know, anything," Rose's voice broke. "What you had for breakfast, what you watched on telly last night, how much you're going to kill me for not calling you earlier. Just anything."

"Rose, where's the Doctor?" Jackie asked her. "Is he with you now? Has he abandoned you?"

"He'd never abandon me."

"It's a simple enough question."

Rose closed her eyes as tears fell down her face murmuring, "I'd better go."

"No, wait, Rose—!"

Rose ended the call. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she thought longingly of her mum and the Doctor. She'd never see them again. Her mum would still be waiting for her to return with the Doctor. She wished the Doctor was here now. She needed him beside her, whispering to her that everything would be fine.

Rose let out a small sob and turned to Riley. He moved over to her and put an arm around her shoulders, trying to give some small comfort. Rose hugged his neck burying her head in his shoulder, sobbing quietly.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

_"__Impact in eleven fifteen. Heat shield failing at ten percent." _

The Doctor took a step towards the glass wall, breathing heavily in his helmet. Reaching out he pressed a sequence into the keypad and the wall gave way. The Doctor held on with all his might as the air was sucked out, threatening to pull him into space as well.

Gripping the metal frame, he leaned his body out the portal. The unfiltered sun glared in his face, and he grit his teeth together. Slowly, he leaned a leg out of the frame moving closer to reach the electrical box on the ship's hull.

Panic flared up inside as he lost his footing, his upper half hanging tediously out the portal. With a grunt in pain, he pulled himself back up, not taking his eyes off the metal box. Holding on to the side, he stretched his arm out to reach one of the four buttons outside the box.

"Come on!" he yelled and he pressed the lowest button. "Go on, my son!"

Straining, he reached the button above it and pressed it firmly. The ship let out a loud sound and the wall shook slightly. The Doctor leaned further out of the room, gripping the edge with is fingertips.

"Doctor!" Scannell's voice came through his helmet. "How're you doing?"

"Argh! I-I can't!" the Doctor gasped as he desperately tried to reach the metal box. "I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last!"

"Come on!" Scannell cheered him on. "Don't give up now!"

The Doctor craned his arm further out, feeling it shake in pain. His fingers closed around metal hatch and he ripped the cover off. Another lever lay inside and the Doctor strained to reach it. His suit was burning against him, the sun beating down on him unmercifully. Desperately, he reached for the lever, his breath coming out it small gasps. Pulling with all his might, the Doctor screamed at the top of his lungs in pain. The lever gave way and the Doctor's arm dropped.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

The escape pod jolted, throwing Rose off balance with a small scream. Riley jumped over to the keypad as the word "remagnetizing" appeared on screen.

"We're being pulled back!" Riley said.

"I told you!" Rose cried. "The Doctor!"

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

The Doctor grunted in pain as he pulled himself back into the airlock. He collapsed on the floor, catching his breath, and then turned to stare out at the sun, trying to pinpoint the pod. The fire of the star burned beneath him and he looked down at his surface. He could hear a muffled screaming in his ears as he stared at its lava covered crust.

"It's alive," he whispered. "It's alive. It's alive!"

The light burned against him, and he felt his body heating up. He couldn't take his eyes off the sun. The burning filled his chest and head, and his whole body shuddered. The sun flames reached hungrily up at him from the surface so far away. The Doctor tried to resist, tried to look away, but the fire just burned inside him. Franticly he squeezed his eyes shut and forced his body away from the portal.

"Doctor! Close the airlock now!" he heard Scannell's voice yell from the helmet. Keeping his eyes firmly shut, the Doctor reached out blindly and closed the airlock. His hands shook as he ripped his helmet off his head.

_"__Impact in eight fifty seven,"_ the computer droned. _"Airlock recompression completed."_

The Doctor opened his mouth in a silent scream, gasping for breath as he collapsed to the floor. His whole body burned within him. Crawling along the floor, the Doctor dragged himself out of the airlock, coughing and gasping in pain. Fire burned from beneath his eyelids, trying to force them open. The Doctor held his head in his hands struggling to fight the thing inside him.

The pod docked behind him and felt the floor shake beneath him.

"Doctor!" Rose's sweet voice called out. "Doctor! Are you okay?"

The Doctor felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned away from the floor to face her. His eyelids opened briefly, letting the golden light burn beneath them.

_"__Stay away from me!" _the Doctor screamed and forced his eyes shut. He pushed himself away from the others and backed up against the wall.

Rose jumped back from him, staring at him in shock. Her heart wrenched in her chest as she watched the Doctor gasp in pain.

"What's happened?" McDonnell came running up behind them.

"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!" the Doctor said through clenched teeth. Rose turned to look at her, seeing McDonnell's eyes widen in fear.

"Riley, get down to Area 10 and help Scannell with the doors," McDonnell pointed behind her. "Go!"

Riley took one glance to the Doctor and then to Rose. Turning quickly, he ran down the corridor.

"You mined that sun!" the Doctor growled. "Stripped its surface for cheap fuel! You should have scanned for life!"

"I don't understand," McDonnell muttered.

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Rose asked moving closer to him. The Doctor let out a scream and tilted his head back in pain.

"That sun is alive!" he screeched. "A living organism! They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel, and now it's screaming!"

"What do you mean?" McDonnell panicked. "How can a sun be alive? Why is he saying that?"

"Because it's living in me," the Doctor said with his teeth clamped tightly. Rose felt her heart skip a beat, and it was all she could to do to not run over to him.

"Oh my god," McDonnell covered her mouth.

"Humans!" the Doctor screamed at the top of his lungs. "You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry! You should have scanned!"

"It takes to long!" McDonnell defended. "We'd be caught. Fusion scoops are illegal!"

The Doctor let out an agonizing scream and pushed himself on his knees. Rose ran over and supported him as he fell forward. His gloved hands gripped her arms tightly and she could feel him shaking in her arms.

"Rose!" he gasped. "You've got to freeze me, quickly!"

"What?"

"Stasis chamber!" the Doctor was breathing heavily. "You've got to take it below minus two hundred. Freeze it out of me!"

The Doctor bellowed and fell against Rose. His face contorted with pain he spluttered out, "It'll use me to kill you if you don't! The closer we get to the sun, the stronger it gets! Med-centre! Quickly! _Quickly!_"

The Doctor screamed once more and his body shook. Rose tried pulling him to his feet, but he collapsed in her arms, dragging her down.

"Help me!" Rose yelled to McDonnell. The captain ran over and looped her arm under one of the Doctor's. Together they hoisted him to his feet and began to drag him to the med-centre. The Doctor cried out in pain, his face drenched with sweat. Rose held him close, blinking back her tears.

_"__Impact in seven thirty."_


	7. Burning Out

The Doctor screamed making Rose's heart ache. Rose released her hold on him when they reached the med-centre and the Doctor collapsed to the floor.

"I can do it," Rose told herself breathlessly running over the manual for the stasis machine. She fumbled through the pages, quickly teaching herself how to use the medical equipment.

"Rose, where are you?!" the Doctor yelled. Rose turned her head to see him reaching out for her blindly with a fearful expression.

"It's alright, I'm here!" Rose ran over and pulled him to his feet. "Just setting everything up. Stasis chamber minus two hundred, yeah?"

Rose helped the Doctor onto the slab, turning him over so that he lay on his back. Each movement caused the Doctor to gasp in pain.

"No, you don't know how this equipment works!" McDonnell said. "You'll kill him! Nobody can survive those temperatures!"

"He's not human," Rose told her. "If he says he can survive, then he can!"

"Let me help you, then!"

"You've done enough damage," Rose spat. The Doctor cried out from within the stasis chamber, turning Rose's attention back to him.

"Ten seconds," he forced out. "That's all I'll be able to take. No more! Rose!"

"Yeah?"

"It's burning me up! I can't control it!" the Doctor's voice changed. "If you don't get rid of it, I could kill you. _I could kill you all."_

Rose backed away slightly. The Doctor's head whipped back against the slab and he screamed in pain.

"I'm scared," the Doctor stammered. "I'm so scared!"

"I've got you," Rose put a hand to his cheek. "Don't worry, I've got you! Just believe in me."

"It's burning through me!" the Doctor cried. "Then what'll happen?"

"That's enough!" Rose felt a tear fall from her face. "I've got you."

"You know what happens wh-when I'm about to die—"

"Shh, quiet now," Rose's voice broke. "'Cause that is not going to happen! Are you ready?"

"No," the Doctor gasped. "Rose, wait, I-I—"

"Tell me later," Rose silenced him. Releasing his head, she went over and grabbed the joystick that controlled the slab for the stasis chamber. Pushing it forward she watched as the Doctor rolled in to the machine completely. Then, shakily she punched the number '200' into the keypad and pressed the on switch.

The Doctor let out an agonizing scream as his body temperature plummeted. Rose closed her eyes, trying to block out his continuous screaming. Her heart ached in her chest and she fought the urge to pull him out.

_"__Heat shields failing," _the computer could barely be heard over the Doctor's wails. _"At five percent."_

The Doctor's body was at negative seventy degrees, and still dropping, when the stasis chamber faltered. Rose watched in horror as the power drained from it and the light went out.

"No! Rose, you can't stop it!" the Doctor yelled. "Not yet!"

"What's happened?" Rose gasped looking to the Captain.

"Power's been cut in Engineering," she said looking to the door.

"But who's down there?"

"Leave it to me," McDonnell said gravely and ran out the door. Rose watched her go for a few moments and then turned back to the Doctor. The Time Lord was thrashing in the stasis chamber, his body racked with spasms.

_"__Impact in four forty-seven," _the computer called out. Rose ran over and started pressing every button she could find on the machine.

"Come on," she groaned. "You're defrosting."

"Rose, listen!" the Doctor screamed turning Rose's attention to him. "I've only got a moment, you've got to go!"

"No way!" Rose went back over the keyboard, franticly trying to get the stasis machine working.

"Get to the front!" the Doctor yelled. "Vent the engines! Sun particles in the fuel, get rid of them!"

"I am _not_ leaving you!"

"You've got to! Give back what they took!"

"Doctor!" Rose looked at his pained expression.

"Please!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "GO!"

"I'll be back for you!" Rose cried and ran out of the med-centre. She raced down the corridors, jumping over each portal door.

_"__Impact in four o' eight," _the computer notified. Rose worked her legs harder, gasping for air as she did. Each section of the ship seemed to get longer and farther from each door.

_"__Impact in three forty-three."_

Rose vaulted over the doorway in Area 21, her shoes clicking against the metal floor. Steam flew up around her and the ship shuttered.

"Riley, Scannell," Rose heard the captain's voice come through the speakers. "I'm sorry."

Rose glanced up at the ceiling nervously.

"McDonnell?" Scannell called out. "McDonnell!"

_"__Exterior airlock open," _the computer stated. _"Impact in two seventeen." _

The Captain was gone.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

With a growl, the Doctor heaved himself out of the stasis chamber and onto the floor. Searing pain traveled up his body and he thrashed on the ground.

_"__Primary engines critical," _the computer said above him. _"Repeat. Primary engines critical. Survival estimate projection zero percent."_

Flailing out blindly, the Doctor tried to find some to grab onto. His hands brushed against a large object and he pulled himself to his knees feeling along the wall. Another wave of pain hit him and he fell back against the floor with a yell. Fire seared through his veins and he dragged himself along the floor. His hands shook as he felt the edge of the med-centre's doorframe.

Gasping in pain, he pulled himself out of the room and began crawling down the corridor, his eyes closed firmly. He could feel the sun burning inside him, trying to take him over.

⋆⋆⋆DW⋆⋆⋆

Rose had reached Area 4. She tore down the halls, desperately trying to catch up to Scannell and Riley.

"Rose!" the Doctor's strained voice came over the speakers.

"Doctor!" Rose stopped in her tracks and looked up. "What are you doing?"

"I can't fight it," the Doctor was breathing heavily. "Give it back or—"

Rose bit her lip waiting for the Doctor to speak.

_"__Burn with me," _the Doctor growled in a shallow voice. _"Burn with me, Rose."_

Rose started down the corridor again, her heart pounding in tune to her footfalls. Her feet ached from running and she gasped painfully.

_"__Impact in one twenty one," _the computed beeped.

Rose could hear the Doctor screaming over the speakers and she dared not think of what was happening to him.

"Got it!" Rose heard Riley's voice call up ahead, followed by the loud clank of a door being opened.

_"__Life support systems reaching critical," _the computer voice blared_. "Repeat. Life support systems reaching critical. Impact in one o' six."_

Rose ran at top speed through the corridor, her breath coming out in small gasps. She could hear Riley and Scannell banging on equipment up ahead.

_"__Collision alert. Collision alert." _

"It's not working!" Riley called out. "Why is it not working?!"

_"__Collision alert. Fifty eight seconds to fatal impact."_

Rose ran into the auxiliary room, gasping for breath. Scannell and Riley spun around and stared at her with scared expressions.

"Vent the engines," she demanded. "Dump the fuel."

"What?" Scannell said confusedly.

"Sun particles in the fuel, get rid of them," Rose raised her voice. "Do it. Now!"

Riley and Scannell exchanged looks but did as she ordered. Each one ran over to a machine and began flipping switches and turning gears.

"Come on, Doctor," Rose whispered. "Hold on."

There was a loud crash and the whole ship rocked. Rose gripped a metal bar in front of her so not to go falling to the floor.

_"__Fuel dump in progress. Fuel dump in progress."_

Farther down the ship the Doctor's screams slowed as the sun left his body. His eyes stopped glowing fire and his sight returned to him. The pain slowly ceased and the Doctor keeled over onto his back gasping for air.

The ship gave another tremendous jolt, throwing Scannell into the side of the control room. A loud noise sounded and the ship rumbled beneath Rose's feet.

"There!" Scannell yelled. "The auxiliaries are firing!"

The ship lurched over, throwing Rose to the ground with a scream. She could feel them turning away from the sun as the engines fired.

_"__Impact averted. Impact averted. Impact averted."_

"We're clear!" Riley gasped as he, Scannell, and Rose pulled themselves to their feet. "We've got just enough reserves."

Rose smiled at him and let out a faint laugh. Scannell went over to Riley and hugged his crewmate happily. Rose's smile slowly faded from her face.

"Doctor!" she gasped. Spinning on her heel, Rose ran back down the corridors much to Riley and Scannell's confusion. She tore through the ship, panting hard.

"You better be okay," she whispered. "Oh, God, you better be okay!"

Soon she saw a figure pulling himself to his feet up ahead. Rose felt tears of joy falling from her face and she threw herself at the Doctor. He smiled broadly and caught her, embracing her tightly. Rose laughed with him as he lifted her off her feet.

"I thought I'd lost you," Rose cried hugging his head. The Doctor's arms trapped her against him strongly and he rubbed his face against her cheek.

"Nah," the Doctor whispered. "You can't get rid of me that easily!"


	8. Something Worth Believing In

"This is never your ship," Scannell said in disbelief while walking up to the TARDIS.

"Compact, eh?" the Doctor grinned. "And another good word, robust. Barely a scorch mark on her."

Rose smiled and looked at the Doctor. He had changed out of his spacesuit and was now expecting the outside of the TARDIS, giving his ship a pat after his examination finished.

"We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel," Rose nodded to the last of the crew members.

"We've sent out an official mayday," Riley said. "The authorities will pick us up soon enough."

"Though how we explain what happened," Scannell shook his head.

"Just tell them," the Doctor cut in. "That sun needs care and protection just like any other living thing."

Scannell nodded and the Doctor stepped into the TARDIS, casting a glance to Rose as he did. Rose made to follow but stopped as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"So uh, you're off then?" Riley mumbled and Rose nodded. "No chance I'll see you again?"

"Not really," Rose shook her head. "It was nice, not dying with you."

Riley smirked and nodded.

"I reckon you'll find someone worth believing in," she smiled at him.

"Hope so."

Rose shifted on her feet and Riley gaze drifted away. With a small grin, Rose leaned forward and placed a kiss to Riley's cheek. He stiffened and Rose giggled, stepping back. Scannell rolled his eyes.

"You are very nice," Rose smiled opening the door to the TARDIS. "And very hot right now."

Riley turned a very unflatteringly shade of red and chuckled softly as Rose closed the TARDIS doors. Rose smiled and skipped up the incline towards the Doctor. The Time Lord had his back towards her and as she came up beside him. Rose saw that he was staring blankly out in from of him with a soft expression.

"Doctor?" Rose whispered. "You alright?"

The Doctor blinked and turned toward her.

"Now, what do you say?" he smiled. "Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Kur-ha? Fancy it?"

"Whatever you like," Rose sighed walking around the main console.

"Oh, and Rose," the Doctor reached out and caught her on the arm. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Don't mention it," Rose said. A smile crept over the Doctor face and he pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her in an embrace. Rose giggled and hugged him back, pressing her head into his neck.

"Now, then!" the Doctor said when the broke apart. "Off to Kur-han? Though, I'll have to warn you, I haven't been skating in quite a while, so I probably be a little bit rusty. Might have to use something for support. Hate to fall down on my—"

"I can help you, don't worry," Rose bumped his shoulder.

"Life savor you are," the Doctor smiled fiddling with the controls on the TARDIS. The ship hummed and the time rotor moved up and down with a loud whirring sound.

"Oh, no," Rose gasped in realization. "Mum!"

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at her with a smirk as Rose whipped out her phone and dialed Jackie's number.

"Hello?" Jackie said answering her phone.

"It's me again," Rose said.

"Three calls in one day," Jackie mused.

"Sorry about earlier," Rose smiled. "Over emotional, _mad_ day."

The Doctor eyes flicked briefly over to Rose from the main console.

"What, did he snog you up?" Jackie laughed. "Maybe I should join you on one of your adventures and get me a snog!"

"Mum!"

"Anyway, when are you two comin' back around?" Jackie said. "I've got someone to show you."

"Oh, really?" Rose asked. "Who? Not another boyfriend I hope."

"Oh, no. Nothing like that."

"Then who?"

"You'll just have to pop in and see," Jackie said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Okay, fine," Rose sighed. "We'll come by tomorrow. Do our best. Er, just remind me, what day is it again?"

"June 30th."

"Right. 'Course," Rose nodded. "We'll be around for tea. Roughly."

"And what about—?"

"Anyway, I've got to go!" Rose cut her off. "See you later, love you!"

Rose brought the phone down from her ear and ended the call. The Doctor looked up at her with and gave her a wink when she turned back towards him.

"On to Kur-ha?" he grinned.

"To Kur-han!" Rose agreed. "But first I'm gonna have to shower. I feel like I fell into a grease pit."

"I've actually fallen into a grease pit before," the Doctor started. "I was just minding my own business checking out this place when—"

"Oh, I'm sure that was going to be a fascinating story," Rose silenced him by placing a finger to on his lips. "But I really should get cleaned off."

"Oh, right, sorry!"

Rose giggled and turned away, walking down the incline into the TARDIS's halls. When she was a few feet away from the Doctor she paused as a thought crossed her mind.

"Hey, Doctor?" Rose asked turning around.

"Hm?" the Doctor curved his head to look at her.

"Er, when you were in the stasis chamber," Rose began.

"Yeah."

"You were gonna say something before you went in," Rose looked up at him. "I sort of cut you off. What were you gonna say? Was it something that would've helped you?"

"Oh," the Doctor reached up and scratched the back of his neck. "That was just—erm—it wasn't anything really important."

"You sure?" Rose said with concern. "You sounded pretty urgent. I—"

"I was just going to say," the Doctor cut her off and looked to the floor. "That, well, that I'd already found... someone worth believing in."

The Doctor shifted on his feet and lifted his head. Rose blinked and stared at him from across the room.

"And who was that?" Rose whispered softly.

"Weeelll," the Doctor looked directly at her. Letting out a laugh, Rose ran over and threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug. The Doctor returned her embrace with a smile giggling softly.

Pulling back slightly, Rose leaned in and pressed her lips against his, much to the Time Lord's surprise. After a few moments, she pulled back and smiled. The Doctor stood stock still and blinked at her in a daze, his mouth open slightly. Grinning broadly, Rose turned and ran down the incline out of the console room.

The Doctor watched the hallway where she had just been a few seconds ago. Slowly, he turned back to the controls of the TARDIS, a happy smile played across his face.

* * *

**A/N: Last chapter! Thanks to everyone who read this and the lovely people who commented! Next episode is _Midnight!_**


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